Knitting machine



April 25, 1939. R c AMIDON I KNITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 21, 1938 Boy C; Am/don April 1939- R, c. AMIDON 2,155,386

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 vuc/wfm M @341 WW April 25, 1939. R. c. AMIDON KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 21, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 25, 1939.

R. c. AMIDON 2,155,386

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WKWK I I w Patented Apr. 25, 1939 KNITTING MACHINE Roy 0. Amidon, rm Plain, N. Y., asslgnor of onethird to Walter S. Becker, little Falls, N. Y., and one-third to Lewis M. Fowler, St. Johns-v ville, n. Y.

Application March 21.1938, Serial No. 191,253 v 13Clalms.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in flat knitting machines and it particularly has for its object to. provide a machine for making the pile fabric disclosed in my application filed February 11, 1938, Ser. No.

The present invention further has for its object to provide means whereby well known knitting machines now on the marketcan be adapted to the manufacture of pile fabric at minimum expense.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out'hereinafter. J

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description, and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a knitting machine embodying my invention.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged detail views showing a needle, a sinker comb, a sinker-nib,

a beard presser and a loop-pick in three of their different cooperating positions.

Figure 5 is a detail elevation of the sinker-nib and its operating instrumentalities. I

Figure 6 is a detail elevation of the needle and its operating instrumentalities.

Figure '7 is a detail elevation of the beard presser and its operating means.

Figure 8 is a detail elevation of the pick and its operating means.

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail elevation of a modified sinker-nib.

Figure 10 is 'a detail side elevation showing how the invention may be adapted to machines in which the comb and nib of the sinker are integral, i. e., machines in which the sinker itself moves to and fro (with the comb and nib as a unit, see Patent No. 582,589, for example).

Figure 11 is a, magnified and diagrammatic view of pile fabric designed to be made by the present machine.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the fragment shown in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a detail elevation of a portion of a pile fabric, like that of Figure 11, in which backing is incorporated.

In the drawings, in which like numbers and letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, the frame of the machine is composed of suitable end and intermediate frames I each having feet 2, cross bars 3, .5 and 8, and longitudinal connecting bars I (only one of such frames'being shown in the drawings, Figure'l). The cross bars 5 havebearings 6 for a shaft 1, while the bars 8 support brackets 3 for a station- 5 ary shaft Ill, and brackets II in which a rotatable power shaft l2 turns, being driven by any suitable power applicator (not shown) in the usual way.

Bearings l3 on the frames I carry a shaft .ll, 10 while other bearings l5 carry a shaft it (see Figure 1). On uprights I! are mounted bearings'll for two-other shafts l9 and 20.

The several shafts I, l0, l4, l6, l9 and are preferably rock'shafts, i. e., they are free. in their bearings 6, 9, l3, l5 and I8 respectively.

' Secured'to the shaft 20 at suitable intervals are arms 2| which carry the sinker-nib base 22 having the usual sinker-nibs 23. The nibs 23, when the machine is adapted to making my new pile fabric, have eyes 24 through which the pile threads I are passed from spindles (not'shown).

'An arm 25 is also secured to theshaft 20 and is joined by an adjustably connected connecting rod 26 to an arm 21 on the shaft II. The arm 25 21 is apertured to pass the shaft l2 and is rocked duplicates of each other, however, only one set has been shown in the drawings. (Figures 1 and 5.)

Needle her arms 3| secured to shaft I carry bearded needles 32 of any approved construction and the needles are moved by (one or more) rocking arms 33 secured to shaft 1 and are actuated by a suitable cam or eccentric 36, each arm having ears 3! that have adjustable rollers 35 to engage the cam or eccentric (see Figure 1). The number of arms3l, 33 and cams or eccentrics 36 used in a machine also depends on the length of the machine.

The beard presser bar is carried by arms 31 secured to shaft l8 to which rocking arms 38 are also secured. The arms 38 each have a roller 39 I to engage a suitable cam '40 secured to shaft i2,

. a spring ll serving to hold roller 39 to earn 40 and effect the return movement .of the presser bar 60 (see Figure '7). Like the units of Figures 5 and 6, that of Figure '1 is similarly duplicated carrying bar 50 on which the sinkers are mounted in the usual way. The sinkers include the'bases combs 52 and sleys 53, and in certain cases integral nibs. See Figure 10, by reference to which it will be seen that 54 is the base, 55 the comb, 56 the sley, 51 the nibs, 58 the eye and 59 the wires or rounded portions to allow the pile threads I to pass over without catching.

The usual guides for the warp threads w and the inlay threads i are indicated by BI and. 62, respectively (see Figures 1, 2 and 3).

The nibs 23 (or 5'!) may be provided with threading slits 24 and the eyes 24 may be elongated if desired (see Figure 9).

In operation the machine isiadjusted to'knit the warp chains 10' and inlays i in any of the well known ways and the picks 43 are adjusted to pull the pile threads I through between the adjacent lays of'thread i (chain cross-connecting thread), the pile threads being laid beneath the cross-connecting threads between adjacent chains 10' and pulled into loops Z (see Figures 11 and 12).

Of course the parts are not loosely knit, as would seem to be the case in Figures 11 and 12; on the contrary, the threads are drawn sulficiently taut so that the piles 1' will be held se- 'curely in one direction by the contact of the adjacent chain w and in a direction transversely thereto by the inlay or cross-connecting threads 2.

If desired, the fabric as it leaves the sleys, or after it is taken from the machine, may have a coat of suitable adhesive c applied to its back or under face and also a reinforcing sheet I) of suitable material, as indicated in Figure 13.

The cement c used may, for example, be latex or a nitrocellulose cement and the backing sheet b may be woven or other fabric, rubber, or any other suitable material, depending on the use to which the fabric is to be put.

While I have shown a machine of the type in which the nib 23, needles 32, beard presser 60 are given an oscillating motion, the machine may be one of the type in which these parts are given rectilinear movement as the invention is readily adaptable to either type.

From the foregoing description, taken in consaid chains by cross threads, means to lay pile threads beneath the cross threads, and means to pull said pile threads through between adjacent cross threads to form pile-loops between said adjacent cross threads, the warp and cross threads being knit under sumcient tension to hold said pile-looped threads in place.

3. In a knitting machine, means to knit parallel rows of chains, means to inlay cross-connecting thread from chain to chain, means to lay pile 5 threads parallel to and between adjacent chains and beneath said cross-connecting threads, and

means to loop said pile threads through between adjacent cross-connecting threads.

4. The combination with a knitting machine 1 employing sinkers, bearded needles, a beard presser and means to operate the aforesaid elements to produce a knit fabric including parallel chains and cross-connecting threads between the chains, of means to lay pile threads be- 1 neath said cross-connecting threads between adjacent chains, and means to loop said pile threads through between adjacent cross-connecting threads.-

5. The combination with a knitting machine 2 employing sinkers, bearded needles, a beard presser and means to operate the aforesaid elements to produce a knit fabric including parallel chains and cross-connecting threads between the chains, of means to lay pile threads 2 beneath said cross-connecting threads parallel to and between adjacent chains, and means to loop said pile threadsthrough between adjacent cross-connecting threads.

6. In a knitting machine, means to knit parallel 3 chains of warp threads, means to connect said chains by cross threads, means to lay pile threads beneath the cross threads, means to pull said pile threads through between adjacent cross threads to form pile-loops, said means to pull including sinkers whose nibs have eyes to receive the pile threads, and picks to engage the pile threads when the nibs and picks are adjacent and to hold the threads while the nibs and picks are being separated during the usual knitting function of the 4 machine.

7. The combination with a knitting machine employing sinkers, bearded needles, a beard presser and means to operate the aforesaid elements to produce a knit fabric including parallel 4 chains and cross-connecting threads between the chains, of means to lay pile threads beneath said cross-connecting threads between adjacent chains, and means to loop said pile threads through between adjacent cross-connecting 5 threads, said means to lay pile threads comprising an eye in each of the nibs of the sinkers through which the pile threads are passed and said means to loop said pile threads through and between adjacent cross-connecting threads comprising picks cooperating with the sinker nibs to engage the pile threads on the forward stroke of the sinker nibs and hold the pile threads While the sinker nibs recede and the chain threads are knocked over and the cross-connecting thread laid 1 over the pile threads.

8. In a fiat knitting machine, a set of bearded needles, a set of sinkers which include combs and sinker nibs, the nibs having eyes, a beard presser, thread guides, means to move the needles back and forth through the sinkers, means to move said nibs back and forth across the path of said needles, means to operate the beard pressers during the return strokes of the needles through the sinkers, all of said means being timed with relation one to another to-produce a knit fabric of cross-connected chains, said sinker nib eyes being constructed to receive pile threads, and a pick to engage said pile threads while said nibs are in their advanced position and hold said pile threads 1 strokes, in virtue of which the pile threads will be laid beneath the cross-connecting threads and be pulled between the same in pile-loops.

5 9. In a flat knitting machine, a set of bearded needles, a set of sinkers which include stationary combs and movable sinker nibs, the nibs having eyes, a beard presser, thread guides, means to move the needles back and forth through the 0 sinkers, means to move said nibs back and forth across the path of said needles, means to operate the beard pressers during the return strokes of the needles through the sinkers, all of said means being timed with relation one to another to pro- 5 duce a knit fabric of cross-connected chains, said sinker nib eyes being constructed to receive pile threads, and a pick to engage said pile threads while said nibs are in their advanced position and hold said pile threads while the nibs and needles 0 are on their return strokes, in virtue of which the pile threads will be laid beneath the cross-connecting threads and be pulled between the same in pile-loops.

10. In a flat knitting machine, a set 0! bearded 5 needles, a set of sinkers which include combs and sinker nibs, the nibs having eyes, a beard presser, thread guides, means to move the needles back and forth through the sinkers, means to move said nibs back and forth across the path oi said 0 needles, means to operate the beard pressers during the return strokes of the needles through the sinkers, all of said means being timed with relation one to another to produce aknit fabric of cross-connected chains, said sinker nib eyes being 5 constructed to receive pile threads, and a pick to engage said pile threads while said nibs are in their advanced position and hold said pile threads while the nibs and needles are on their return strokes, in virtue of which the pile threads will be laid beneath .the cross-connecting threads and be pulled between the same in pile-loops, said pick comprising an oscillatable member carrying picking fingers and means to move said fingers into and out 01' operative position in timed relation to the knitting operations performed by the needles in cooperation with the sinkers for purposes described.

11. In a knitting machine, means to knit parallel warp chains, connected by crossing inlay thread; means to locate pile-loop threads beneath the several lays oi the inlay thread between adjathe chains and between adjacent cross threads whereby the loops are held in position by said chains and cross threads.

13. In a knitting machine, means to knit parallel chains or warp threads, means to connect said chains by cross threads, means to lay pile threads beneath the adjacent cross threads and carry the same in the formof loops between the adjacent cross threads, and means to hold the loops against receding as said laying and carrying means recedes.

ROY C. AMIDON. 

